[CM] cm and quicktime: instrumentation

[Rick Taube]

> 1.  When I try to play directly to the midi port, I get rhythmic
> 	inaccuracy, sometimes more, sometimes less. I assume there
> 	must be some sort of real time mode that I haven't figured
> 	out yet.

do you get the same inaccuracy when you write a midi file and play 
that?? Its been some time since I looked at this old code, but i think 
when you output to the midi port its actually  the Apple MIDI Manager 
that sends the timed events to the synth.

> 2.  When I use instruments other than the default acoustic piano,
> 	I do hear them when I play them to the midi port, but when I
> 	try to write this to a midi file and play the file using
> 	quicktime, which involves converting the file to a quicktime
> 	movie, the instrumentation gets lost and I only hear acoustic
> 	piano. Here is some code to show what I've been trying to do.
[...]
>
> What do I need to do to hear the instrumentation when playing the
> midi file with quicktime?

first verify that your channel values are being written to the midi 
file that CM writes as you expect, ie before you convert it. there is a 
function called 'midi-file-print' or 'midifile-print' or' 
print-midi-file' (sorry I cant remember the exact name)  that will 
print the contents of the file to the  terminal. If your files have the 
channel values you expect then its got to be some issue with 
quicktime+midi files. what happens when you play the CM output file to 
an external synth rather than Quicktime ?? If an external synth (or 
some other sequencer app) can  manage your channel settings then its 
got to be something to do with Quicktime.

-rick